The Proof of the Heavens Begins with The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Chapter 14 Taihu Lake Bandits
After dealing with the matter of Sha Gu, Fang Hao did not dare to delay and went north along the waterway. According to the order of the route, he decided to go to Shaolin Temple first and then to Zhongnan Mountain.

Lin'an City is indeed one of the few prosperous places in the world, full of decadence and luxury, and beautiful beyond words.

But it is also a fact that the rich own fields and the poor have no place to stand.

For example, Niujia Village, where Fang Hao first went, was just outside Lin'an, but it was desolate and dilapidated.

The wealthy and powerful in the Song Dynasty court lived a life of luxury and debauchery, and countless common people complained about it. It was clear that the Southern Song court was not deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

The further north Fang Hao traveled, the more desolate the scenery on the road became, but the journey was relatively peaceful. However, everything changed after entering Taihu Lake.

Bandits were rampant and looting was the norm.

Without the restraint of Lu Chengfeng in the original timeline, the Taihu bandits acted without scruples and recklessly.

The passenger ship Fang Hao was on had not yet crossed half of the sea when the captain had already used gold and silver to send off three waves of pirates.

Fang Hao watched coldly and did not intervene. Every industry has its own rules of survival.

Since there is already a tacit understanding between the passenger ship and the pirates, we can just wait and see what happens.

Most passengers on the ship had this attitude, not caring about it. But some people couldn't stand this scene.

"Master, these pirates are too rampant. They hijacked the boat and charged fees in broad daylight. This is simply too much."

On the small boat, a young man dressed in warrior attire, with sword-like brows and bright eyes, spoke to an old man holding a sword.

The old man was wearing a blue cloth warrior uniform, had an untidy beard and a weather-beaten face.

The man looked very poor, but the sword in his hand was extraordinary. There was a silver Chiwen ornament on the scabbard and a wheel design on the hilt, which must have been made by a famous artist.

The old man holding the sword sat in the cabin calmly and said calmly, "Sit down!"

The sword-browed young man was still trying to argue, but he heard an old man beside him holding a bamboo stick and a 羯鼓 tied around his waist say, "Young man, your master is right. Don't meddle in the affairs of the underworld, otherwise you will definitely get into trouble!"

The young man with sword-like eyebrows said, "Old man, what you said is wrong! All the affairs of the world should be managed by the people of the world. Take the Taihu Lake bandits for example. It is precisely because you don't care and I don't care that they have become so rampant!"

Seeing the young man's passionate and impassioned speech, the old man holding the bamboo stick stopped trying to persuade him.

At this time, the sword-browed young man's master finally spoke up: "Yimang, sit down!"

"But Master!" The young man with sword-like eyebrows continued to argue.

But he was interrupted by the old man holding the sword: "Shut up! If you still recognize me as your master, then don't meddle in other people's business."

"Master, you taught me since I was young that chivalry is the most important thing when traveling in the martial arts world. Now, when we see injustice on the road, we stand idly by. Is this what you call the way of chivalry?" The young man with sword-like eyebrows retorted.

Seeing this, the old man holding the sword slammed the table and stood up and said, "Zhang Yimang, you are rebelling!"

Zhang Yimang was still standing at the bow with a look of indignation. When the passenger ship reached a small island on Taihu Lake, he jumped off, seized a small boat, and headed towards the water stronghold where the pirates were.

"Zhang Yimang, come back here!" The old man holding the sword was extremely angry.

Thinking that Zhang Yimang was the only one left in their Mangshan Sect, he gritted his teeth, hijacked a small boat, and chased after them.

After all the changes, many passengers on the boat looked at each other in bewilderment. Only the old man holding a bamboo stick sighed and said, "The Thirteen Bandits of Taihu Lake are more or less pitiful people. Why bother?"

After hearing this, Fang Hao said, "Old man, you seem to know a lot about the Taihu Lake bandits."

"Hehe, little brother, you've asked the right person. No one knows more about Taihu Lake bandits than me, Zhang Shiwu."

"Old man, would you like to talk in detail?" Fang Hao became interested.

A gleam of light flashed in Zhang Shiwu's eyes and he said, "Young man, are you a government spy or a wanderer?" "What about a government spy? What about a wanderer?" Fang Hao asked.

"I hate those dignitaries the most in my life. If you are a government spy, I will keep my mouth shut." Zhang Shiwu said.

"Oh?" Fang Hao smiled and said, "Does the old man think that I am a lackey of the imperial court?"

"You are not." Zhang Shiwu shook his head.

"Then please give me some advice, old man!" Fang Hao waved his hand.

Zhang Shiwu looked around and said, "The Bamboo Leaf Green Wine from Xishan Island in Taihu Lake tastes good."

"It's my treat!" Fang Hao said with a smile.

The old man and the young man smiled at each other, then got off the boat together and found a tavern on Xishan Island.

Fang Hao ordered a jar of Bamboo Leaf Green Wine, and asked the store to put out a plate of broad beans, a plate of salted peanuts and a plate of dried tofu, and then he poured the wine and started drinking.

After three rounds of drinking, Zhang Shiwu said, "Speaking of the Taihu Lake bandits, we have to mention the treacherous Prime Minister Han Tuozhou. He is deeply trusted by the current Emperor Qingyuan and has many minions under his command. One of them is called Su Shidan, who is the most greedy person."

"It was with his tacit approval that the commander of the navy guarding Taihu Lake colluded with the pirates, bullying the people and plundering their wealth."

"Is this person's face really like this?" Fang Haoqi asked.

He had dealt with Su Shidan not long ago. Fang Hao felt that this man was a righteous man who cared about the country and the people.

But I didn't expect that in the eyes of the people, I would be such a despicable person?

"Not only that, this person also solicited power and accepted bribes in the court, openly selling official positions and titles. From the three yamen to the commanders along the river, he set a price for each, ranging from one hundred thousand to several hundred thousand. He made... a lot of money!" Zhang Shiwu said sarcastically.

"This man is so audacious!" Fang Hao said, Han Tuozhou had a good reputation in history, but now he has been labeled as a treacherous prime minister.

I think it is also an important reason that he indulged his confidants and amassed huge wealth.

I just don't know whether Han Tuozhou is aware of what he did to Su Shidan.

"Among the thirteen water forts, only the three forts of Huangmen, Yinma, and Qingfeng were truly the ones who committed all kinds of evil, including burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of atrocities. Many of their relatives also have some connection with the Taihu Navy."

"As for the villages such as Daxing, Shimen, Shanghe, and Xiahe, they are all fishermen on Lake Tai who can no longer make a living and have turned into bandits. Most of them only rob the rich to give to the poor, and they are all miserable people!"

"Is that so?" Fang Hao didn't believe everything Zhang Shiwu said.

But Fang Hao believed in the hardships of life for the lower-class people.

The two men drank and chatted. It must be said that Zhang Shiwu, as a storyteller, had traveled far and wide and was well-informed.

Fang Hao learned a lot of useful information from him.

For example, there are many conflicts between the Dirty Clothes and Clean Clothes factions of the Beggars' Sect. If it weren't for Hong Qigong's pressure, there would even be a danger of splitting.

For example, Shaolin Temple has been closed to outsiders for a long time.

"The young man with sword-like eyebrows just now was really impulsive. I think he was heading towards the Huangmen Village. All the people gathered there are extremely vicious people. If things go wrong, his life may be in danger." Zhang Shiwu sighed.

Fang Hao pondered for a moment and said, "Old man, do you have a map of the Thirteen Water Villages?"

Zhang Shiwu smiled and said, "I have them all in my mind!"

(End of this chapter)